Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-15

'ue e time mas gone DyS'
The gang received this announcement
With cheers.
"When are We to start? I hunger for
action. Ny hearts in arms and eager for
the fry, as the fellow said when he smelt
the cells a-cookln!" cried the poetic Mr..
Spicer.
"Soon as we can-stay in, all of you.
pve little eTrand to do, and I'll De back
and ley my plans. Aud mind, boys, no
drinking now-We can make big haul if
we keep sober and work the game up
right"
Gwen be as sober as expectant heirs
before the will is resd!" said Mr.. Spicer.
"Paul is here" SAID Captain Jack Nal
erson to Ada McAlpin, as he entered her
room q short time after he left his
men. "He has come here to break OF
with you"
"Phen ne has come to die!" said Ada,
while her fine eyes flashed angrily.
''Not so fast, my beauty-not so fast. I
came to caution you a5out that very
thing, for l know the grit that is in you,
and you'll stick at nothing If you're once
reused! l am going to fix matters in q
better way. I'll put that girl out of his
way, if you'll be easy with him"
"Will you-oh, bless you, will yOu?"
cried Ada, Clasping his hands.
eyes, girl, yes. l Will fix her so that
he'd as soon marry COmanche squaw as
her"
"Oh, how shall 1 trust your"
"You'll trust me because Pm his father,
and I like you well enough to have you
for daughter"
~ will trust you,'' she said.
"That's right. But now, Ada, don't
you tell him of this second visit, though
he knOWS of the first; and whatever you
may hear about the Delormes, keep it to
yourself"
81 promise that. But is the girl whom
he wishes to marry DelOrme?"
eyes, her name is Stella DelOrme-but
I dare no. stay here longer. as | expect
Paul will be along soon. An. there he
comes down the street. l must slip out
by the back door as he comes in at the
front"
Ada gave her visitor directions how 20
leave the house unseen; and q few
moments after he left Paul entered.
CHAPTER XIV.
When Paul entered, Ada, as she usually
did, bounded to his arms and imprinted a
food Of kisses upon his lips. He gently,
cut rather coldly, returned her fervent
caresses, aud then led her back to the
sofa from which she had sprung.
"Sit down, dear Ada" said he. 81
want to talk to you"
~ ain ali ears; 60 on, dear Paul" she
said, retaining his hand in hers.
He seemed at less what to say, for
the subject that was uppermost in his
mind WAS an embarrassing one.
"Well, Paul, what is it? Why 90 you
not tell me what you wished TO say"
said Ada, smiling at his embarrassment.
81 am-very poor, Ada!" said Paul at
last, with hesitation in tone as well as
manner.
"And, therefore, quite criminal in the
eyes Of the world, yet not in mine. But
l an sorry for you, Paul. What can l do
for you? Pm not very rich in this
worlds goods, but the treasury Of my
affection is full and Oyerfi0Wing"
"Ada, you are good girl. You know
that love YOU'D
"Once l thought you did, Paul. But
now | know you do not. You are now
racking your brain fer q plausible excuse
TO cast me off. But you cannot iud one
you cannot find one! You say that
you are poor-What of that? Have l
asked you for money? My love cannot
be measured by bars OF gold, and bars Of
iron cannot imprisOn it,"
Paul trembled with emotion, but was
silent.
"Why do you not reply to me, Paul ?"
continued Ada. "COme, l will give you
q theme for conversation. Suppose we
speak OF Stella Delormeu"
"He8vens! dc you know her %
GAS well as I wish to! She is very
pretty. Paul. Do you love her 90
"No, Ada, no; as God is my judge, 1
do not! But 1 am poor, and she is an
heiresS!"
"And SO you tip up the pleasure cup Of
love, and fill it with gold-bitter, indi-
gestible gold!"
"Oh, Ada; do not know what to dc!
do love you; but NyOu need comforts,
luXuries, which, while | am penniless, |
cannot give to you! Let me marry her;
let her have my hand while you retain my
heart!"
''PauI MaIerson!" cried Ada, while her
color rose and her eyes flashed, "dO not
destroy all my dream. Do not change
my love into hate; for your own sake do
not! Do not make me despise you! Do
you think that could let you come lille
gally to my arms while you are legally
bound to another? No! Paul MaleroOn,
do not taunt and insult me-"
"Ada! Ada! 1 do not know what to
dop'
"Be iust-be just to yourself aud that
will be Justice to me! I did not seek you
out. l was content when you found me.
l ask no other lot. But in you 1 thought
that I had found a young, pure, fresh
heart, unteinted by the cOrrupting at
of the world! Iloved you, hid
away, and kept myself aloof from the
world for your sake And this-this is
my reward! FareWelI-Paul MalersOn,
FAREWELL"
And as she spoke she drew a dagger
from her bosom and raised it above her
breast. Her cheek was CHASTITY pale-she
was GREATNESS, and every nerve was iced
into firmness-G moment more aud that
bright steel had opened deaths pathway
to her heart. But Paul caught her hand
ere it descended, wrested the dagger away
and threw 1t through the window beyond
her reach.
"Ada-Ada, would you destroy your
self" he cried.
eyes, soul and body" she gasped, and
sunk fainting into his arms.
"This Is love-I cannot give her up!"
ne muttered, as he laid her gently down
upon the sofa, and fastened to call her
maid to aid IN her recovery.
CHAPTER XIV.
Two weeks are, when counted of into
hours by the tongue Of Joy, but brief, /
very brief breaths of time! Yet, if |
heightened by the sighs of sorrow or the
ono. WIN moan Of nain- hnw measure. |